Article of furniture



Sept 1 E. H. COOLEY 1,776,551

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed July 16, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 23,1930. E. H. COOLEY ARTICLE OF FURNITURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16,1929 Sept. 23, 1930. E. COOLEY 1,776,551

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed July 16, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept.23, 1930 EDWARD H. OOOLEY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS ARTICLE OFFURNITURE Application filed July 16,

'5 More specifically, and in one form of embodiment, my inventionrelates to a combination desk and table, comprising a structure providedwith a foldable top, adapted to be extended when the structure is to beused 10 as a table, and to be retracted and wholly or partiallyconcealed from view when it is desired to convert the structure into adesk.

An object of my present invention is to provide a piece of furniture ofthe character 15 indicated which is simple, durable and inexpensive inconstruction and whose parts may be readily and easily manipulated intotheir several operative positions.

Other and further objects of the present 20 invention will suflicientlyappear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings hereto appended which form part of this applicationfor-Letters Patent, and in which like reference characters indicate thesame parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of embodiment of my presentinvention with the parts disposed for use as a desk;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view-of the same structure with the top extended toform a table of one form; l

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3, but withthe top rotated through 90 to form a table of another form;

Fig.5 is a perspective view of the table shown in Fig. 4, showingcertain concealed parts in dotted lines;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a modified form of embodiment ofmy invention when in use as a desk; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the manner of convertingthe desk shown in Fi 6 into a table. I

Re erring to the drawings, 1 indicates generally an article of furniturehaving legs, a top, and if desired, drawers. This article of furnituremay be designed for use as a desk, buflI'et, bureau, table or the like.In each fig- 1929. Serial 160. 878,705.

ure of the drawings I have shown this much of the structure embodied ina form suitable for use as a desk, but it is to be understood that myinvention is by no means limited to use in connection with desks. Anytype of furniture having a plane top surface may serve as the understructure of a piece of furniture constructed according to theprinciples of my present invention. The desk structure shown in theaccompanying drawings is intended to be merely by way ofexemplification, and it is to be understood that the word desk as usedin this application for Letters Patent is intended to include anyarticle of furniture having a plane top surface, as above specified.

Mounted on the under top 2 of the desk is a desk top 3, which may berotated through 90 or more about a pivot 4 fixed in the under top. In adesk structure having an oblong top such as those illustrated in thedrawings, this pivot is positioned either centrally of the top, as shownin Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, or eccen trically thereof, as shown inFigures 6 and 7. The purpose of so locating the pivot, and the effect ofpositioning it centrally or eccentrically, will be hereinafterexplained.

Along the rear edge of the desk top 3, a hinge or series of hinges 5serves to connect to the desk top one leaf 6 of a table top. A companionleaf 7 is hinged to leaf 6 along their upper horizontal edges, as shownin Fig. 1, by means of the hinges 8. I perfer to employ hinges 8 of thetype used on spinet desks, as shown in the drawings, which will allowthe two hinged edges of the leaves 6 and 7 to make flush contact "witheach other and lie in a single plane when in their extendedposition, asshown to advantage in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 7.

When it is desired to convert a desk as shown in Fig. 1, into a table,leaves 6 and 7 are rotated through 90 about hinge 5 to place them inplanes parallel with that of the desk top 3. Rear leaf 7 may then berotated through 180 about the hinges 8 to dispose it in thesame plane asleaf 6, as shown in Fig. 3, and then the two leaves, together with desktop 3, rotated through 90 about the xpivot 4 to assume the positionshown in Figs.

position of maximum a 4 and 5; or, if desired, after leaves6 and 7 arelifted into parallel, superposed horizontal planes, they may be rotatedwith desk top 3 through 90 about pivot 4, and then opened up b rotatingupper leaf 7 through 180 about .t e hinges 8 to assume the positionshown in Figs. 4 and 5. Whichever mode of operation is followed, thereresults a table having a width equal to the length of the leaves 6 and7, and a length, equal to twice their height when in the retractedpositions shown in Fig. 1. Small support blocks 9 of a thickness equalto the thickness of the desk top 3 are secured to the under sides of theleaves 6 and 7 to'fill the space between the leaves and the under to 2when the leaves are in their extended position. Spacer blocks 10, havingan upper beveled or rounded edge, are secured to the rear of thesupporting structure 1 just below the under to 2 forthe purpose ofcamming the leaves 6, into accurate vertical relation to the desk top 3when retracted, and thereby ull'ge'the front ed s of tops 2 and 3 intopara elism.

T: will be noted that the structure illustrated in Figures 6 and 7differs in two respects from that shown in the other figures; first, thepivot 4 is positioned eccentrically of the desk top 3; and secondly, theleaves 6 and 7 when in their folded back position extend only to thelevel of the desk top 3. I have discovered that a constant inverserelation exists between the degree of eccentricit of the pivot 4 and theheight above the des top of the leaves 6 and 7, or in other words, thefarther the pivot 4 is removed from the geometrical center of the desktop 3, the smaller will be the hei ht of the eaves 6 and 7 projectingabove t e desk top 3. Figures 6 and 7 show the iivot 4 placed at its 1owable eccentricity, so that the upper edges of the leaves 6 and 7 whenin their folded back positions are flush with the level of the desk top.It will be apparent that when the pivot is located at any pointintermediate between the positions shown in Figures 4 and 6, the heightof the leaves 6 and 7 above the level of the desk top 3 will varyaccordin 1y.

It will be appreciated tint in the eccentric pivot form it is desirableto employ a desk top whose long dimension is exactly twice its shortdimension, and which is of course of rectangular shape, so that when thedesk top is rotated 90 about the pivot the hinge 5 will lie along thetransverse axis of the under top 2, making the top formed by theextended leaves 6 and 7 symmetrical with the under top. I accomplishthis symmetrical positioning of the extended leaves by locating theeccentric pivot 4 at a oint in the desk top 3 which is at once equiistant from the longitudinal and transverse axes of the desk top andfrom the rear or hinged edge thereof. This is the point of maximumeccentricity of the pivot. Intermediate points for the location of theeccentric pivot lie along a line joining this point with the center ofthe desk top, or in other words, a line which bisects the angle formed bthe intersection'of the two axes of the des top.

Conversion of a desk as shown in Fig. 6 to a table is accomplished inthe same man nor as the structure shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive,'i. e., the leaves are lifted to a horizontal position, the desk top isthen rotated 90 about the pivot-4, and the upper leaf It is to be notedthat in the eccentrically I pivoted 'form of structure shown in Figs. 6and 7, only one su port block 9 is re uired, since the rotated diesk top3 sufiicient y underlies the leaf 7 when in its extended position, asclearly shown in Fig. 7.

A further modification is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, toprovide an article of furniture having anextended table top which willbe narrower than those previously described. According to this form ofthe invention, the desk top 3 is made in three parts, consisting offixed end portions and a central pivoted portion, the latter beingbounded by curved ed cs 11, 12, which are arcs of a center forme by thepivot 4. The length of the leaves 6, 7, ma then be reduced to a lengthequal to the diameter of the rotatable portion of the desk top, asindicated by the dotted lines 13, 14. Hinges 8 will necessarily belocated in approximately their dotted line position in Fig. 1.

The advanta es and mode of operation of an article of furniture withparts so constructed will be obvious, the leaves being raised and turnedto form an extended table top exactly as has been ex lained inconnection with the previously escribed forms of embodiment. In thepresent modification,

supporting blocks 9 are dispensed with, the

fixed end portions of the des top adequately serving their purpose. Itwill be evident that the reduction in the length of the leaves willresult in forming a narrower table top when the leaves are in theirextended position, while the reduction of the dimensions of therotatable portion of the desk top will prevent any portions thereof fromextending beyond the edges of the table top when the leaves are in theirextended-position.

It is to be understood that my present invention is capable ofexemplification in other 1 supporting structure having an un and furthermodifications not shown or described in this a lication for LettersPatent, but all such mod i cations in so far as they embody theprinciple of the present invention ,5 are to be deemed within the scopeand pur- View of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of furniture comprising 9. er top, a desk top rotatablymounted thereon, and a plurality of leaves hin ed to each other and toone edge of the des top.

- 2. An article of furniture comprising a supporting structure having anunder top, a desktop overlying the under top and pivoted thereto, and aplurality ofleaves hinged together, one of said leaves being hinged tothe desk top. 4 3. An article of furniture comprising a supportingstructure having an under top, a rectangular desk top having a lengthtwice as great as its-Width overlying the under top and pivoted theretoat its center, and a'plurality of leaves hin 'ed to each other and toone edge of the desk top.

4; An article of furniture comprising a supporting structure having anunder top, a rectangular desk top overlying the under top and pivotedthereto at a point equidistant from the longitudinal an transverse axesthereof, and a pluralit of leaves hinged to each other, one of saileaves being hinged to the desk top.

as 5. An article of furniture com rising a supporting structure havingan under top, a i desk top overlying the under, top and rotatablymounted thereon, a plurality of leaves hinged to each other and to oneedge of the 40 desk to and normally depending therefrom,

and a inge connection between said leaves whereby said leaves areadapted to overlie the desk top in a single plane when lifted to ahorizontal position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

EDWARD H. 000 EY.

